Benzodiazepine analogs of the type defined in formula I hereinabove are known to be useful as CCK antagonists as disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 641,972 filed 6/10/85 were only available via multi-step and/or low yielding syntheses resulting in expensive final products. Some of these procedures are detailed in the following references. Synthesis of benzodiazepines J. Org. Chem. 33, 828-830 (1968), S. C. Bell et al.; J. Org. Chem. 33 216-220 (1968), S. C. Bell et al.; J. Org. Chem. 27, 3781-88 (1962), L. H. Sternbach et al.; J. Org. Chem. 36, 1064-68 (1971), Y. R. Ning et al.; J. Org. Chem. 26, 4488-97 (1961), L. H. Sternbach et al.; Tet. Lett. (1965) pp. 2889-91, S. C. Bell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,136 of S. C. Bell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,789 of S. C. Bell; U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,527 of R. J. McCaully.